Handle for suitcases and the like having casters

ABSTRACT

A handle for a suitcase or the like having rolling means such as casters and adapted to be rolled along the floor, comprises an extractable grip and an inverted U-shaped main body having another grip portion and two columnar portions perpendicularly extending downward from the two ends of the grip portion. The lower ends of the columnar portions are connected to the nearest side wall of the suitcase, and the two ends of the extractable grip are connected to the outer or upper ends of two longitudinally extensible means each normally contained within one of the columnar portions, whereby when the suitcase is to be moved along the floor or ground, the extractable grip is pulled out to be handled for moving the suitcase, and when the suitcase is to be otherwise handled, the extractable grip is retracted to be combined unitarily with the grip portion of the inverted Ushaped main body of the handle.

United States Patent 1 1 Urushibara [451 July 22, 1975 Yutaka Urushibara, 3-Chome, 7-4 Kanamachi, Tokyo, Japan [22] Filed: Nov. 16, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 416,632

[76] Inventor:

Primary Examiner-Herbert F. Ross Attorney, Agent, or FirmWaters, Schwartz & Nissen [57] ABSTRACT A handle for a suitcase or the like having rolling means such as casters and adapted to be rolled along the floor, comprises an extractable grip and an inverted U-shaped main body having another grip portion and two columnar portions perpendicularly extending downward from the two ends of the grip portion. The lower ends of the columnar portions are connected to the nearest side wall of the suitcase, and the two ends of the extractable grip are connected to the outer or upper ends of two longitudinally extensible means each normally contained within one of the columnar portions, whereby when the suitcase is to be moved along the floor or ground, the extractable grip is pulled out to be handled for moving the suitcase. and when the suitcase is to be otherwise handled, the extractable grip is retracted to be combined unitarily with the grip portion of the inverted U'shaped main body of the handle.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures HANDLE FOR SUITCASES AND THE LIKE HAVING CASTERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a suitcase provided This invention relates generally to handle means sewith a handle according to t P1135611t invention;

cured to suitcases and other pieces of baggage for handling the same. The invention more particularly relates to handles whereby suitcases and other pieces of baggage provided with rolling means at their bottoms can be moved by rolling along the floor or relatively smooth ground surface (hereinafter referred to simply as floor).

Suitcases and baggage having rolling means such as wheels and casters on their bottoms and adapted to be moved along the floor without requiring lifting therefrom have been widely known.

However, the handle of a suitcase or other piece of baggage (hereinafter simply called suitcase), when the latter is thus moved along the floor, is positioned substantially below the normal hand level of the bearer of the suitcase except in the case where the suitcase is of an extremely large size, whereby the bearer has had to stoop over the suitcase to reach the handle or to pull the suitcase with the use of a rope or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION With the above described difficulty in view, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved handle for a suitcase or the like having rolling means such as casters at the bottom, one part of the handle being made extensible so that the bearer of the suitcase can hold the part without stooping while be moves the suitcase.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved handle which can be maintained in an upright position by the resilience ofa spring member unless the handle is turned around its axis under the application of an excessively strong torque.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved handle wherein the extensible part as mentioned above of the handle can be retracted to form a unitary grip portion for handling the suitcase in the ordinary manner.

The above described and other objects of the invention which will be hereinafter made apparent can be achieved by an improved handle for a suitcase or the like, the handle comprising an inverted U-shaped main body including a grip portion and two columnar portions perpendicularly extending downward from the two ends of the grip portion toward the suitcase, two longitudinally extensible tubes contained respectively within the two columnar portions such that the tubes may extend outwardly along the axes of the columnar portions, an extractable grip the two ends of which are connected to upper or outer ends of the extensible tubes, and means for coupling the lower ends of the two columnar portions to the suitcase, whereby when the extractable grip is extracted outwardly, it is held substantially parallel to the grip portion of the main body, and, when the extractable grip is retracted inwardly, it is combined with the grip portion of the main body in a unitary manner.

The nature, principle, and utility of the invention will be more clearly understood from the'following detailed description of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of one example of the handle according to this invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line IlI-Ill in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is another sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the handle shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown, in perspective view, a suitcase 2 having a plurality of casters 3 at the bottom so that the suitcase can be easily transported along the floor. On the upper portion of the suitcase 2, there is provided a handle H according to the present invention.

As is clearly indicated in FIGS. 2 through 5, the handle H comprises a main body 10 made of a synthetic resin and formed into an inverted U-shaped configuration having a grip portion 10a at the center and two columnar portions 10b respectively extending perpendicularly from the two ends of the grip portion 10a. A reinforcing metal strip 11 is buried in the main body 10 of the handle along its entire inverted U-shaped configuration, and both end portions of the metal strip 11 are bent inwardly and project from the ends of the columnar portions 10b so that the ends of the metal strip 11 extend toward each other in parallel with the grip portion 100. Each of the end portions of the metal strip 11 thus emerging from the columnar portions 10b is formed into a pivotal shaft 11b which is further extended into a flattened end portion 11a having a vertically enlarged width.

As is best illustrated in FIG. 2, the handle H further comprises a mounting seat 12 secured in a required position on the side wall of the suitcase 2 by means of two screws 13 passed through the side wall from the inside to the outside. The screws 13 are tightly screwed into tapped holes provided in cylindrical mounting pads 12a which are formed on the rear side of the mounting seat 12 in an integral manner. Two L-shaped brackets 14 are thereby fixed in position, one flange 14a of each bracket being clamped between the outer surface of the suitcase 2 and the lower end of the cylindrical projections 12a. Each flange 14a has a hole 15a, as best illustrated in FIG. 5, and one of the screws 13 is passed through the hole 15a.

Another flange 14b of each bracket 14 also has a hole 15b, and the above-mentioned pivotal shafts 11b at the ends of the reinforcing metal strip 11 are rotatably inserted through the holes 15b of the two brackets 14.

As is apparent in FIG. 2, a disc member 16 made of an elastic material such as rubber and having a central hole 16a (shown in FIG. 5) is slipped over each flattened end portion lla having a vertically enlarged width. Since the inner diameter of the central hole 16a is substantially smaller than the enlarged width of the flattened end portion Ila of the reinforcing metal strip, the disc member 16 is greatly deformed when it is placed over the portion 11a.

More specifically, the upper part of the disc member 16 as viewed in FIG. 2 is forcibly urged against the inner surface 12b of the mounting seat 12 when the main body of the handle is assembled with the mounting seat 12, whereby the rotation of the shaft 1 lb relative to the mounting seat 12 is made difficult. In the case where a comparatively greater force is applied to the main body 10 of the handle, the disc member 16 is elastically deformed on the flattened end portion 11a of the shaft 11b, and the shaft 11b is thereby allowed to be rotated relative to the mounting seat 12. Upon removal of the strong torque applied to the main body 10, the main body of the handle is brought back to the upright position by the elastic restoring force of the disc member 16. As is apparent in FIG. 5, cutout portions 12c are respectively provided at the two ends of the mounting seat 12 thereby to permit the insertion of the shafts 11b into the mounting seat 12.

Within the columnar portions 10b extending at both ends of the main body 10 of the handle, through holes 20 are provided, respectively, and a longitudinally extensible tube 21 is included in each of the through holes 20. Each tube 21 has a well known telescopic construction comprising a plurality of tubular members such that the length of each tube 21 can be varied between a longest value which is obtained when all of the tubular members are fully extracted and a shortest value which is obtained when all of the tubular members are successively retracted into the tubular member having a maximum diameter.

In the illustrated example, each of the longitudinally extensible tubes 21 has four tubular members 21a through 21d, and the member 21a having the maximum diameter is fixed in the through hole 20. In order that the member 21a having the maximum diameter be prevented from being upwardly drawn out of the through hole 20, a reduced diameter portion 20a is provided at the upper end of the through hole 20.

Furthermore, for the purpose of preventing an inner tubular member being pulled out of the outer tubular member, each of the tubular members is provided with a narrowed diameter portion at the upper end thereof, and an expanded outer diameter portion at the lower end thereof, except that the innermost tubular member 21d has no upper narrowed diameter portion.

In addition, as is best illustrated in FIG. 5, for instance, resilient metal pieces 22b, 22c, and 22d may be provided on the outer peripheries of the tubular members except on the outermost tubular member 21a, so that the mutual sliding movements between the tubular members 21a through 21d can be achieved in a state of frictional contact by means of these resilient metal pieces 22b, 22c, and 22d.

After the extensible tube 21 thus composed has been placed in the through hole 20 of each columnar portion 10b, a spacer member 23 is inserted into the lower end of the through hole 20, and, a cap 24 is thereafter slipped over the lower end of the columnar portion 10b. The cap 24 is held in position by the insertion of a locking pin 25.

Each extensible tube 21 thus confined in the columnar portion 10b can be extended only upward as indicated by two-dot chain lines in FIG. 2. It shouldbe noted that the number of the tubular members, which is four in this example, may be increased or decreased.

made of a synthetic resin, and a reinforcing metal strip 31 may be buried within the grip 30. The outer ends of the reinforcing metal strip 31 are bent perpendicularly downward, and a screw threaded portion 31a is provided on each of the perpendicularly bent ends of the reinforcing metal strip 31. Each screw threaded portion 31a is engaged by a tapped hole 32 at the upper end of the innermost tubular member 21d of the corresponding extensible tube 21.

On the upper surface of the grip portion 10a of the main body 10 of the handle, a recessed portion is provided, and a projecting portion 30a complemental with the recessed portion 10c is formed on the lower surface of the extractable grip 30. Thus, when the extensible tubes 21 are in the most contracted state, the projection 30a is received in the recessed portion 10c, and the extractable grip 30 and the grip portion 10a of the main body 10 are combined together to be apparently united into a single grip portion of the handle.

When the extractable grip 30 is extracted relative to the grip portion 10a of the main body 10 as indicated by chain lines in FIG. 2, the level of the extractable grip 30 can be elevated to the height at which the extensible tubes 21 are in the most elongated state. A thumb inserting notch 10d is formed in the grip portion 10a of the main body 10 for facilitating the separation of the two grip portions 30 and 10a.

In the ordinary handling of the suitcase, the handle H is placed in the state shown by the full lines in FIG. 2, wherein the two grip portions 30 and 10a are apparently combined together and operable as a single handle. On the other hand, when the suitcase is to be transported with the rolling means such as casters 3' provided at the bottom rolling along the floor, the extractable grip 30 is extracted to a level higher than the grip portion 10a of the main body 10, whereby the bearer of the suitcase can transport the suitcase by holding the grip 30 now extracted to the higher level.

In either of the above described cases, the entire handle H is allowed to rotate around its axis passing through the centers of the two shaft portions 11b of the metal strip 11 under the application of a considerable force or torque, whereby the grip 30 or the grip portion 10a of the main body 10 can be tilted relative to the suitcase at an angle suitable for the moving of the suitcase. Upon removal of this considerable force, the handle H is brought back automatically to the upright position by the resilience restoring force of the members 16.

What I claim is:

1. In a handle structure for a suitcase having rolling means at the bottom, the handle structure having a pair of longitudinally extensible parallel tubes connected to the suitcase at their proximal ends, and a grip connecting the distal ends of said tubes, said grip being capable of selectively taking a retracted position near said suitcase and an extended position more remote from said suitcase depending on the extension of said tubes:

the improvement comprising an inverted U.-shaped body fixedly connected to said suitcase and including a central grip portion and two columnar portions'extending perpendicularly at the two ends of the grip portion toward the suitcase, said columnar portions respectively receiving said extensible tubes such that the extensible tubes can extend outwardly of the columnar portions said central portion being'located in ,a position in which it houses a portion of the grip and supports the surface of said grip facing the suitcase when the grip is in said retracted position, said grip portion having a shape and size such that when the grip is in the retracted position, said grip portion cooperates with the grip to form an apparently united single handle.

2. The improvement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a mounting seat secured directly to the suitcase, and pivot means interconnecting one of the ends of each of the columnar portions to the mounting seat.

3. The improvement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a resilient means mounted in each said pivot means and normally holding the columnar portions in an upright state perpendicular to the nearest wall of the suitcase.

4. The improvement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a projecting portion on the surface of said grip facing the grip portion, and means defining a recessed portion in the surface of said grip portion facing said grip, said recessed portion being complementary with said projected portion and receiving the projected portion therein when the grip is in its retracted position, thus assuring firm mutual engagement between said grip and said grip portion.

5. In combination a suitcase with rolling means at the bottom thereof and a handle on said suitcase comprising an inverted U-shaped main body fixed to said suitcase and including a grip portion at the center and two columnar portions extending perpendicularly from the two ends of the grip portion in downward direction toward the suitcase, means securing said columnar portions to said suitcase, a longitudinally extensible tube contained within each of said columnar portions so as to be extensible outwardly of the columnar portion, and an extractable grip having opposite ends respectively connected to outer ends of the longitudinally extensible tubes, said extractable grip being cooperatively shaped with respect to said grip portion of the main body of the handle so that when said extensible tubes are contracted said extractable grip is housed in said fixed grip portion and together cooperatively form a common grippable handle part.

6. The combination as claimed in claim 5 wherein each of said longitudinally extensible tubes comprises a plurality of tubular telescopic members of successively varying diameters.

7. The combination as claimed in claim 6 wherein said means securing the lower ends of the columnar portions of the inverted U-shaped main body of the handle to the suitcase comprises a mounting seat secured directly to the suitcase and hinge means interconnecting said lower ends of the columnar portions and the mounting seat.

8. The combination as claimed in claim 7 comprising a resilient means in each of said hinge means normally holding the columnar portions in an upright state perpendicular to an adjacent wall of the suitcase.

9. The combination as claimed in claim 5 comprising connections between the two ends of the extractable grip and the outer ends of the longitudinally extensible tubes arranged such that the extractable grip, when it is extracted, is substantially parallel to said grip portion of the main body of the handle and can be utilized for handling the suitcase in moving along the ground.

10. The combination as claimed in claim 5 wherein said extractable grip is provided on the lower surface thereof with a projection which engages in a recessed portion provided in the upper part of said grip portion of the main body of the handle when the extractable grip is retracted into the fully retracted state so that said grip and said grip portion form said common grippable handle part. 

1. In a handle structure for a suitcase having rolling means at the bottom, the handle structure having a pair of longitudinally extensible parallel tubes connected to the suitcase at their proximal ends, and a grip connecting the distal ends of said tubes, said grip being capable of selectively taking a retracted position near said suitcase and an extended position more remote from said suitcase depending on the extension of said tubes: the improvement comprising an inverted U-shaped body fixedly connected to said suitcase and including a central grip portion and two columnar portions extending perpendicularly at the two ends of the grip portion toward the suitcase, said columnar portions respectively receiving said extensible tubes such that the extensible tubes can extend outwardly of the columnar portions said central portion being located in a position in which it houses a portion of the grip and supports the surface of said grip facing the suitcase when the grip is in said retracted position, said grip portion having a shape and size such that when the grip is in the retracted position, said grip portion cooperates with the grip to form an apparently united single handle.
 2. The improvement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a mounting seat secured directly to the suitcase, and pivot means interconnecting one of the ends of each of the columnar portions to the mounting seat.
 3. The improvement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a resilient means mounted in each said pivot means and normally holding the columnar portions in an upright state perpendicular to the nearest wall of the suitcase.
 4. The improvement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a projecting portion on the surface of said grip facing the grip portion, and means defining a recessed portion in the surface of said grip portion facing said grip, said recessed portion being complementary with said projected portion and receiving the projected portion therein when the grip is in its retracted position, thus assuring firm mutual engagement between said grip and said grip portion.
 5. In combination a suitcase with rolling means at the bottom thereof and a handle on said suitcase comprising an inverted U-shaped main body fixed to said suitcase and including a grip portion at the center and two columnar portions extending perpendicularly from the two ends of the grip portion in downward direction toward the suitcase, means securing said columnar portions to said suitcase, a longitudinally extensible tube contained within each of said columnar portions so as to be extensible outwardly of the columnar portion, and an extractable grip having opposite ends respectively connected to outer ends of the longitudinally extensible tubes, said extractable grip being cooperatively shaped with respect to said grip portion of the main body of the handle so that when said extensible tubes are contracted said extractable grip is housed in said fixed grip portion and together cooperatively form a common grippable handle part.
 6. The combination as claimed in claim 5 wherein each of said longitudinally extensible tubes comprises a plurality of tubular telescopic members of successively varying diameters.
 7. The combination as claimed in claim 6 wherein said means securing the lower ends of the columnar portions of the inverted U-shaped main body of the handle to the suitcase comprises a mounting seat secured directly to the suitcase and hinge means interconnecting said lower ends of the columnar portions and the mounting seat.
 8. The combination as claimed in claim 7 comprising a resilient means in each of said hinge means normally holding the columnar portions in an upright state perpendicular to an adjacent wall of the suitcase.
 9. The combination as claimed in claim 5 comprising connections between the two ends of the extractable grip and the outer ends of the longitudinally extensible tubes arranged such that the extractable grip, when it is extracted, is substantially parallel to said grip portion of the main body of the handle and can be utilized for handling the suitcase in moving along the ground.
 10. The combination as claimed in claim 5 wherein said extractable grip is provided on the lower surface thereof with a projection which engages in a recessed portion provided in the upper part of said grip portion of the main body of the handle when the extractable grip is retracted into the fully retracted state so that said grip and said grip portion form said common grippable handle part. 